Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

Las Vegas Review-Journal | The Mob Museum

Mobbed Up chronicles the rise and fall of organized crime in Las Vegas through the eyes of those who lived it: ex-mobsters, law enforcement officials, politicians and journalists. From back alleys to bank vaults, dimly lit basements to the neon glow of the Las Vegas Strip, the Review-Journal's Reed Redmond will guide listeners through the 20th-century criminal underworlds of Chicago, Kansas City and Las Vegas.

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Top 10 Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

A judge falls from grace | S2E7

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

07/26/21 • 35 min

Federal judge Harry Claiborne frustrated federal prosecutors hunting the mob in Las Vegas - he was not afraid to block efforts if he thought they were being unfair. The judge also fought with gaming regulators over his decision to wrestle away control of the Aladdin. In 1986, Claiborne became the first federal judge in 50 years to be impeached, convicted and removed from the bench by Congress because he refused to resign after he was convicted in court of filing false tax returns and not reporting income. It was a long fall for a man who had become a legal legend.

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Bonus: Season 2 Epilogue

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

09/15/21 • 53 min

Longtime gaming executive and consultant Ed Nigro was in the middle of the battle between Wayne Newton and Johnny Carson to buy the Aladdin Hotel after the mob was kicked out.

Nigro was appointed to manage the Aladdin until it could be sold to reputable buyers, and then partnered with Carson in his bid to take over the Aladdin.

In this season-ending forum at The Mob Museum, Nigro joins Season 2 host Jeff German and former Gov. Robert List in a discussion about the Aladdin’s troubles under the control of the mob and how the state and the courts dealt with it.

Nigro also provides a revealing look behind the scenes of the high-stakes battle between Carson and Newton.

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BONUS: Stories from the Steer

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

07/23/20 • 18 min

"They didn't care if you were a mobster or a corporate executive or a politician or a federal agent."

When Frank Cullotta arrived in Las Vegas in 1978, one of his first stops was The Golden Steer Steakhouse, where he and Tony Spilotro sat down to discuss their plans for the future over dinner. The restaurant's current owner, Dr. Michael J. Signorelli, shares a few tales from the Steer's storied past.

To learn more about The Golden Steer, or to order online, visit www.goldensteerlasvegas.com.

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Bonus: City Cast LV Feed Swap : Did the Mob Dump Those Human Bodies in Lake Mead?

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

01/18/23 • 19 min

In November, a sixth set of human remains was found in Lake Mead and a Texas woman got confirmation that the 5th body found this year belonged to her father, who drowned in the lake 20 years ago. These discoveries come in the wake of water levels reaching their lowest point since the reservoir was being filled in 1937. Officials have yet to identify the victims, but that isn’t stopping Las Vegas from buzzing with speculation, curiosity... and tactless billboards. Given our infamous history with organized crime, it’s no surprise that people have been bursting with theories about their connection to the mob.
Today, we’re bringing you a conversation that co-host Vogue Robinson had with Geoff Schumacher, Vice President of Exhibits and Programs for The Mob Museum, in August 2022. They discuss why most of these theories relate to the mob, why they may or may not be true, and what Las Vegans aren’t thinking about as we romanticize the mob’s involvement.
Do you have a wild Lake Mead story? Call or text us at 702-514-0719 or find us on Twitter @CityCastVegas. Make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter for updates on all things Vegas at lasvegas.citycast.fm/newsletter!
Website: https://lasvegas.citycast.fm
Podlink: pod.link/citycastlasvegas

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Aladdin‘s curse | S2E8

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

08/02/21 • 29 min

On the evening of April 27, 1998, there was an almost festive atmosphere on the Las Vegas Strip. Television news helicopters were hovering and an estimated 20,000 onlookers gathered on the streets. At 7:30 p.m. the financially unstable Aladdin Hotel tumbled down in a coordinated implosion. Some say it was cursed since its days of pillaging under hidden mob control. With all of its troubles, the resort played a key role in the history of Las Vegas. It ignited the campaign to push the mob off the Strip, paved the way for corporate America to take over, and transformed Nevada’s gaming process into the world's gold standard.

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Family Secrets | S1E10

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

07/21/20 • 41 min

“He always said if you pull a gun on somebody, you finish it.”

Tony Spilotro goes missing in June of 1986, last seen driving away from his brother's home in suburban Illinois. Over two decades later, a racketeering trial in Chicago reveals what happened after that.
For more on this episode, visit www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup. To learn about The Mob Museum, visit www.themobmuseum.org.

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Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas returns for the exciting third season

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

09/03/23 • 2 min

Join host John Katsilometes as he sits down with Oscar Goodman. The former attorney recalls some of his most notorious cases representing some of the biggest names from the mob.

No Place Like Home | S3E8

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

11/02/23 • 41 min

In the final episode of Season 3, we go back to the beginning of what shaped Oscar Goodman, including the death of his late sister, whose death has impacted his life for decades. Despite his worldwide notoriety as a public figure and bon vivant, Goodman still finds some of his fondest memories tied to the place he calls home and the foundation for the mob: Las Vegas.

Strawman | S1E8

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

07/07/20 • 36 min

"Las Vegas was the last thing on our mind."

In the spring of 1978, the FBI’s Organized Crime Squad in Kansas City placed microphones in a restaurant, hoping to pick up information about local mob activity. Instead, they picked up on something far bigger: casino skimming operations in Las Vegas.

For more on this episode, visit www.reviewjournal.com/mobbedup. To learn about The Mob Museum, visit www.themobmuseum.org.

Bonus: Stories from the Steer

Mobbed Up: The Fight for Las Vegas

08/17/21 • 11 min

A bonus episode for Season 2 of Mobbed Up. Jeff German, Review-Journal investigative reporter and host for Season 2, interviews longtime Golden Steer waiter Venko Nikolov about his memories of mob hitman Frank Cullotta at the iconic Las Vegas steakhouse.

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